Hotel Riu Karamboa Review | Boa Vista Adults-Only All-Inclusive
Hotel Riu Karamboa, Boa Vista — The Complete Adults-Only Resort Review
Resort Overview & Vibe
The Hotel Riu Karamboa is a spectacular 5-star, 24-hour all-inclusive resort — and its single most important feature is the one to lead with: following a complete renovation in 2022, it reopened as a 100% adults-only property, with a minimum check-in age of 18. If you are travelling with children, this is not the hotel for you; if you want a grown-up holiday, that is precisely the point.
Karamboa was actually RIU's first hotel on Boa Vista, and the refurbishment gave it a fresh, contemporary interior while carefully preserving the features that make it instantly recognisable: the iconic domes, mosaics and rounded arches that lend it a palatial, almost Moorish character. A skylit central lobby and interior garden flood the main building with natural light.
In terms of atmosphere, this is a lively, highly sociable resort built around entertainment and energy rather than hushed boutique calm. It draws couples and groups of friends who want themed parties, busy pools and a proper night out. Worth setting expectations honestly: the crowd skews a little older, and a handful of guests find the main buffet repetitive across a longer stay — but the grounds, the oceanfront setting and the sheer scale of the entertainment offering are consistently praised. Like its sister hotels, Karamboa holds Gold certification under the Travelife Sustainability System, and it generates much of its own power from rooftop solar panels.
Location & The Beach
The Riu Karamboa sits directly on Praia das Dunas (the same long beach is sometimes referred to locally as Praia de Salinas), sharing the sands with its sister hotel, the Riu Palace Boavista. The convenience factor is excellent: the resort is exceptionally close to Aristides Pereira International Airport, so your transfer takes only a few minutes — a real bonus when you just want to get to your sun lounger.
The beach itself is wide, pale and beautiful, with the open Atlantic stretching out in front of you. Two honest caveats apply, as they do all along this coast: Boa Vista is famously windy (great for kitesurfers, less so for an undisturbed sunbathe), and the sea has noticeable waves and currents, so swimming calls for awareness of the conditions and flags. Many guests do their serious swimming in the resort's pools and save the beach for long walks.
Rooms & The New Swim-Up Suites
The renovation expanded the resort to 921 modern rooms across four categories, spread between a two-storey main building and three-storey annexes.
Standard Double Rooms. These were fully remodelled in 2022 with a fresh, inviting style — warm tones, clean lines and artwork depicting typical Cape Verdean scenes. Each comes with air conditioning (plus a ceiling fan), free Wi-Fi, a satellite TV, a safe, an electric kettle, a regularly restocked minibar, RIU's signature in-room liquor dispenser, and a private balcony or terrace.
Swim-Up Rooms. The headline addition of the refurbishment is the 67 swim-up rooms, one of the most-requested features RIU added. Each opens from its terrace straight onto a private pool, so you can slip into the water without leaving your room — a lovely pocket of privacy and quiet within what is otherwise a big, sociable resort. Because they are limited in number and highly popular, they are worth booking well ahead.
Pools & Splash Water World
The Pools. The outdoor area was rebuilt around five new pools, several with spectacular sea views and in-water sun loungers for drink-in-hand afternoons. One pool is dedicated to the entertainment and sports programme, so if you want to swim in peace you can simply pick one of the quieter ones. The swim-up bars Praia and Mindelo let you order without drying off, and there's a generous, made-over solarium for serious sunbathing.
Splash Water World. Despite the adults-only policy, guests have access to the on-site Splash Water World waterpark and its multiple slides — a genuine adrenaline hit and a fun, slightly unexpected feature for a grown-up resort. (It is shared with the neighbouring Riu Palace Boavista and typically operates most days of the week, with a minimum height requirement on the slides.)
Food & Drink: 24-Hour All-Inclusive Dining
The 24-hour all-inclusive format means there is always something available, and the variety is broad.
Main Buffets. Mogambo is the main restaurant — an international buffet with live show-cooking stations, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast here draws particular praise for its sheer choice. Down by the water, Las Dunas serves relaxed poolside buffet lunches (and afternoon tea), making it easy to eat without straying far from your lounger.
À La Carte Specialty Restaurants. For something more special in the evening, the resort offers three reservation venues: Kazumi for Asian cuisine, Toscana for Italian, and the gourmet Kulinarium, widely rated as the standout — book it early via the resort app on arrival, as the best slots disappear fast. (Note that the specialty venues are largely served buffet-style rather than true à la carte, which some guests actually prefer as a lower-key alternative to the busy main restaurant.)
Bars & Grills. The drinking options are extensive: the Lambada lounge/sports bar, the Morabeza lobby bar, the Brava plaza bar, the two swim-up pool bars (Praia and Mindelo), a 24-hour Sports Bar, and two Pepe's Food grills for poolside snacks at lunchtime. As at most RIU resorts, drinks are house-brand rather than premium label, and the main bars tend to mix a better cocktail than the pool bars.
Entertainment, Renova Spa & The Famous "RIU Party"
Entertainment is where Karamboa really makes its name.
Nightlife & the RIU Party. The resort hosts the legendary RIU Get Together Party (a themed event, typically once a week, with formats like the White Party and Neon Party), featuring DJs, dancing and big production shows. The on-site Pacha discotheque — free entry, drinks included — is the late-night anchor, and there's a karaoke bar within the Mogambo venue for a livelier evening. Guests of the Riu Palace Boavista come over for the party too, so the crowd is large and the atmosphere genuinely buzzy.
Daytime Activities. RIU's structured programmes run through the day: RiuFit group fitness, beach volleyball, darts and archery, beach watersports (offered seasonally by third-party operators), and the RiuArt creative workshop for something more hands-on.
Renova Spa. When it's time to wind down, the Renova Spa offers massages and treatments, a steam bath and a relax pool, alongside a fully equipped gym. A couple of recent guests have flagged inconsistencies in the spa/steam facilities, so it's worth a quick look before booking treatments — but the massages themselves are frequently rated as excellent value.
The Showdown: Riu Karamboa vs. Riu Palace Boavista
The two RIU hotels sit side by side on Praia das Dunas and share several facilities, so the real question is which one suits you. Here's how they differ.
Riu Karamboa is the high-energy, 100% adults-only resort: distinctive domed architecture, around 921 rooms, five sea-view pools, and a famously lively, party-driven atmosphere. Choose it if you're a couple or a group of friends after a sociable, child-free holiday with proper nightlife.
Riu Palace Boavista is the premium, family-friendly sibling. It welcomes all ages — with a RiuLand kids' club, children's pool and two-bedroom family rooms — while still offering grown-ups privacy through its adults-only swim-up villas. Choose it if you're travelling with children, or if you want a more refined, mixed-crowd feel.
The clever part: because the two hotels share Splash Water World, the Pacha discotheque and the RIU Party, staying at one doesn't mean missing the other's best attractions. Pick Karamboa for the adults-only buzz, or the Palace for a calmer, family-suited base — either way you can dip into both.
FAQs
Is Riu Karamboa adults only? Yes. Following its 2022 renovation it is strictly an adults-only resort, with a minimum check-in age of 18. Children are not accommodated.
Does Riu Karamboa have swim-up rooms? Yes — the hotel added 67 swim-up rooms during its refurbishment, each with a private pool accessed directly from the terrace.
Does Riu Karamboa have a waterpark? Yes. Guests have access to Splash Water World and its slides, shared with the neighbouring Riu Palace Boavista. A minimum height requirement applies on the slides.
How far is Riu Karamboa from the airport? It is exceptionally close to Aristides Pereira International Airport, so the transfer is quick — usually only a few minutes.
What is the RIU Party at Karamboa? It's the resort's signature themed party night (also called the RIU Get Together Party), typically held once a week with DJs, dancing and live shows. Popular formats include the White Party and Neon Party, and guests from the neighbouring Riu Palace Boavista attend too.
Planning an adults-only escape to Boa Vista? Download our free Cape Verde Resort Comparison Cheat Sheet & Packing List — delivered straight to your inbox.
Related reading: Riu Palace Boavista Review · Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in Cape Verde · Tipping & Money at Cape Verde Resorts · Sal vs Boa Vista for an All-Inclusive Holiday
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